The present disclosure relates generally to remote control systems for controlling accessories and in particular to secure wireless communication between controllers and accessories.
Electronic devices are becoming increasingly popular in a range of applications. Mobile phones, tablet computers, home entertainment systems, and the like are just some of the electronic devices users interact with regularly.
Another category of electronic devices that is becoming more popular includes various electronically controllable “accessory” devices, such as thermostats, lighting devices, household appliances, etc. Users want to control these devices easily and conveniently using mobile devices and the like and to automate their operation.
At the same time, users are understandably concerned about security implications of allowing remote control of accessory devices. For instance, there is a concern that an unauthorized controller device might monitor or intercept communications between an authorized device and an accessory such as a door lock. The unauthorized device might be able to use the monitored or intercepted communications to operate the accessory in an undesirable manner.